European trolley bus with longer-range battery tested in Vancouver (PHOTOS)

Trolley bus with longer range in-motion battery by Solaris Bus & Coach being tested by TransLink in Vancouver, on August 17, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

If you have a keen eye, you may have spotted a new unmarked, unbranded, white-coloured trolley bus with a handful of people onboard making trips around Vancouver this week.

This is a newer model of trolley bus being tested for TransLink’s potential consideration of adopting the vehicle’s innovative technology for the region’s future trolley bus fleet.

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The trolley bus, made by Polish manufacturer Solaris Bus & Coach, has the ability to detach from the overhead catenary power lines and drive off-wire over significantly longer distances than TransLink’s current fleet. When attached to the overhead catenary power lines, the bus switches back to grid-based power, and the in-motion battery is also recharged.

The particular model of bus designed and built by Solaris is called the Trollino 12.

Simply put, this type of bus combines the technologies of a battery-electric bus and a trolley bus.

Solaris Bus Coach TransLink Vancouver trolley bus test August 2023

Trolley bus with longer range in-motion battery by Solaris Bus & Coach being tested by TransLink in Vancouver, on August 17, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Dan Mountain, a spokesperson for TransLink, told Daily Hive Urbanized the trials with the Polish bus first began this past Wednesday.

The existing fleet of trolley buses went into service between 2006 and 2009. They were built by Winnipeg-based New Flyer, which has long been one of TransLink’s main bus suppliers.

On Tuesday, TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn reaffirmed the public transit authority’s plans to replace the entire trolley bus fleet before the end of this decade. Trolley buses have a lifespan of about 20 years.

“We’re looking at different types of technology that other countries are using that can come off the overhead catenary wires,” Quinn told Daily Hive Urbanized following an event.

“Battery technology has really come a long way, so if we’re able to introduce an on- and off-catenary option, it will give us some operational flexibility. We’ll look into that, but it’s not a guarantee. We have a manufacturer coming in now, and we’ll see if it works for us.”

Trolley buses typically carry a higher unit cost compared to fossil fuel-powered buses, and such trolley buses with a longer range in-motion battery likely carry a higher price over conventional trolley buses, too.

According to zero-emission vehicle publication The EV Report, in late 2022, Budapest’s public transit system finalized a deal to buy 100 Trollino 12 vehicles from Solaris at a cost of about €60 million or CA$88.5 million. The unit price for Budapest’s order is over CA$1.1 million per bus.

Trolley bus with longer range in-motion battery by Solaris Bus & Coach being tested by TransLink in Vancouver, on August 17, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Currently, says Quinn, the plan is to provide the trolley bus fleet with a one-for-one replacement. The existing fleet has 262 vehicles, with a mix of 40-ft, two-door buses and 60-ft, three-door articulated buses.

He adds that the buses will be replaced over four years between 2026 and 2029.

During a recent Mayors’ Council meeting, TransLink staff said this test bus has the capability to go off-wire for distances up to 20 km. Buses with such technology could also potentially be considered for the vehicle of choice for TransLink’s future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network.

In contrast, the existing trolley buses currently have a highly limited battery supply that enables them to go off-wire for only very short distances, such as minor detours due to road construction or downed catenary wires.

The timing of the test is auspicious, given that TransLink commemorated the 75th anniversary of Metro Vancouver’s trolley bus network earlier this week.

Trolley bus with longer range in-motion battery by Solaris Bus & Coach being tested by TransLink in Vancouver, on August 17, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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